You're right. The "indians" (indigenous people) were here for thousands of years before the Europeans.
Number of years...IDK.
However IF one is familiar with particular features of particular people, and their migrations...
- Naming a Land, and the people thereof, such as China/Chinese...
Common, historically and modernly.
- Not a secret Chinese have a very long history, and particular land mass of constant homeland...And particular features, particular skin tones, particular hair texture...
- Same with East India...Same with Mongolia...Same with Alaskan...Same with American Indians ...
- People have historically Migrated, for numerous reasons.
- East Indians, Chinese, Mongolians, Alaskans, American Indians...
All have similar traits in common; skin tones, hair texture, high cheek bones...as well, have historical “gods”, per their cultures.
- Giving fair and common ruddy skinned, fine haired persons of Europe the credit for “discovering” America...AS IF...it was NOT occupied...and AS IF...they NAMED the land America is historically inaccurate.
- England appointing and sending “governors” to this land, were men being sent from England; to what England was calling the “British Colonies”.
Explorers, scouts, from Scandinavia, France, Spain and England were all voyaging across the Oceans beyond their own boundaries. Exploring lands, contacting with the People already there, making MAPS, of their journeys, and reporting to their homelands.
The Name “America”, was a spin off from a man
FROM ITALY, himself an explorer AND map maker who was famed for taking explorers “map sketches” and MAKING “maps”, with his name, on the maps, accrediting him for the MAP.
He made two explorations....
One on behalf of, funded by Spain.
One on behalf of, funded by Portugal.
His name;
Amerigo Vespucci, an ITALIAN!
His “maps” became the most prominent reliable “MAPS” further explorers used for their journeys.